Engine-starting apparatus



L. M. WOOLSON.

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, I919- Patented June 8, 1920..

INVENTOR LIONEL M. WOOLSON UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'LIONEL M. WOOLSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO BLT UR MOTORAPPLIANCE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J line 8, 1920.

Application filed June 20,1919. Serial No. 305,535.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LIONEL M. WooLsoN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Detroit, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-StartingApparatus, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to starting apparatus, and'with regard to itsmore specific features, to means for starting internal combustionengines.

One of'the objects is to provide practical, dependable and compact meansfor starting a source of power.

Another object is to provide efficient means of the above type whichshall automatically effect proper application of the starting torque,under all conditions of. operation.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one ofvarious possible embodiments of the several features of this invention,Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of my apparatus in idleposition, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the device about torelieve a butting condition of the teeth, Fig. 3 is a plan view of thepinion, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4'of Fig.2.

Similar reference characters refer to sim-' ilar parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings 1 have shown a motor 1 of any suitableconstruction, having an armature 2, the shaft 3 of which is lodged in apair of bearings 5 only one of which is shown. The shaft preferably isprovided with a threaded extension 6, upon which is threaded a pinion 7,adapted to cooperate with a fly-wheel or other gear 8 connected to theengine, said pinion being normally to one side of said gear, as shown inFig. 1. The enter ng ends of the pinion teeth are preferably chamferedas at 24 to facilitate meshing. A nut 9 at the end of the threaded shaftportion 6 limits the pinion 7 against removal from the shaft. 1

Between the threaded portion 6 and the bearings 5 I form the shaft,non-circular in cross section, preferably approximately square as at 10.

Upon shaft portion 10 I mount a butt relieving member 11, which Idesignate for brevity in the claims as a relieving member. This member,preferably, as shown in Fig. 1 is normally to the side of gear 8,opposing pinion 7. Member 11 has an axial squared opening 12 fittingover the shaft portion 10, so that said relieving member must rotatewith the shaft. ,A dished leaf-spring annular washer 14, is disposedbetween a shoulder 15 on the shaft 2 and the adjacent face of therelieving member 11. A pin 16 extending transversely of the shaft asshown at 17, and having its projecting ends 18 fittinginto acorresponding slot 19 in the face of the relieving member, limits themovement of the latter away from the leafspring 14. For proper coactionwith gear 8, the relieving member 11 is preferably provided with pinionteeth 13 adapted to mesh v are preferably so disposed with respect toeach other that when each of said members is brought into contact withthat face of gear 8 adjoining it, the pinion teeth will be staggeredwith respect to the teeth 13 of the relieving member.

In operation, the starting switch, preferably of the single contacttype, (not shown), is connected to a source of power such as a storagebattery, (not shown), thus setting the armature into rapid rotation.Pinion 7 by reason of its inertia does not at once take up the rotationof the threaded shaft and consequently said pinion will travellongitudinally of the shaft, in the well known manner, and by reason ofthe chamfered tooth ends 24, the pinion will t ll ordinarily readilyenter into mesh with the fly-wheel gear 8. Near the end of its traveltoward full mesh the pinion contacts face 23 of relieving member 11, andfurther movement takes place against the compression of spring 14;, thuseasing the shoclrof impact. Thereupon rotation is imparted to thepinion, to crank the engine and after.

the engine runs under its own power, the pinion is caused to overrun thethreaded shaft in the well known manner, returning to the out-of-mesh orhome position shown in Fig. 1.

When, notwithstanding the chamfer 24, teeth of pinion 7 abut againstthe, ends of teeth 8 instead of entering between them, thepinion islimited by the said gear against moving toward the right in thedrawings. Asa consequence the shaft end 6 will rotate within pinion 7,and by means of the threads the entire shaft 3 with armature 2 willtravel toward the left, pushing the relieving member through the annularspring-- washer 14 toward the gear 8. leeth 13 of the relieving member11 ordinarily will readily mesh with gear 8. Continued rotation of thearmature will thereupon cause said relieving member to move gear 8, and

after a slight rotation of said gear, the butting condition is overcomewhereupon the expansion of spring 20 restores the shaft to the originalposition shown in Fig. 1, bringing about initial mesh of pinion 7 withgear teeth 8. At the same time the pin 18 through shaft portion 10 moveswith the shaft to draw the relieving member 11 to the original positionshown in Fig. 1. Further movement toward full mesh, cranking anddemeshing proceed as heretofore described. During the short intervalthat relieving member 11 operates to rotate gear 8, annular spring 14may yield somewhat to allow a further slight longitudinal travel of theshaft through pinion 7.

Should teeth of the relieving member butt against those of thefly-wheel; the shaft will continue to thread its way through pinion 7thus sliding through and rotating the arrested relieving member 13compressing dished spring 14 by the sliding movement. Bdy reason of therotary component imparte to the shaft the teeth of the relieving memberwill become properly alined with.

respect to those of the fly-wheel, whereupon expansion of compressedspring 1%, will bring said relieving member into incipient mesh with thefly-wheel as shown in Fig. 2. The preferred staggered relation of thepinion teeth and relieving member teeth when in contact with theflywheel, as above set forth, minimizes the likelihood of. butting ofthe relieving member, but this relation. is not essential to theoperation of my apparatus. The relieving member having become alinedwith fly wheel teeth for mesh.-

invention may be employed to advantage innumerous relations, other thanthat disclosed.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described apparatus in whichthe several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatusin its action attains the various objects of the invention and is wellsuited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

-Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In an engine-starter, in combination, agear connected to an engine, a motor, a pinion connected thereto,adapted to mesh with said gear but normally out of engagement therewith,and means responsive to a butting engagement of said pinion with saidgear, operative to move said gear to relieve said butt.

2. In an engine-starter, in combination, a gear connected to an engine,a motor, a shaft driven thereby, a pinion threaded on saidshaft, adaptedto mesh with said gear but normally out of engagement therewith, andmeans actuated by said motor, in case of a butt to grip and rotate saidgear.

3. In an engine-starter, in combination, a gear connected to an engine,a motor, a shaft driven thereby, a pinion on said shaft adapted to bemoved toward said gear, responsive to starting of said motor, and arelieving member mounted on said shaft, and responsive to a buttingengagement of said pinion with said gear, to engage with and to rotatesaid gear for relieving said butt.

i. in engine-starter, in combination. a gear connected to an engine, amotor, shaft driven thereby, an inertia pinion on said shaft, andnormally to one side of said gear, a relieving mem connected to saidmotor normally to the ether side of said gear, and means responsive toabutting engagement of said,pinion with said gear,

, to move said relieving member into engagement with said gear forrotating the latter, in order to relieve said butt.

5. In an engine-starter, in combination, a gear connected to an engine,a motor, a pinion connected thereto, adapted to mesh with said gear butnormally out of engagement therewith, a toothed relieving memberadapted,- to mesh with said gear, and normally out of engagementtherewith, and means responsive to a butting engagement 'of said pinionagainst said gear, to move said relieving member into mesh with saidgear, for transmitting a buttrelieving torque thereto.

6. In an engine-starter, in combination, a gear connected to an engine,a motor, a pinion and a toothed relieving member both connected to saidmotor, both adapted to mesh with said gear and both normally out ofengagement therewith, means responsive to startingpf said motor, to movesaid pinion toward mesh with said gear, and means responsive to abutting engagement of said pinion with said gear, to cause meshing'ofsaid relieving member and said gear, for transmitting a butt relievingtorque from said motor.

7. An engine-starter, comprising in com- .bination, a gear connected toan engine, a motor, a shaft driven thereb a driving pinion threaded.onto said shaft, and normally to one side of said gear, a toothedrelieving member mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, andnormally to the other side of said gear, and adapted to mesh therewith,a spring to one side of said member, and means for limiting movement ofsaid member away from said sprin 8. An engine-starter, comprising incombination, a gear connected to an engine, a motor, aninertia-controlled driving pinion connected thereto, normally to oneside of said gear, a non-circular shaft driven by{ said motor, a toothedrelieving member fitted thereon, and normally to one side of said gear,an annular leaf spring, permitting some displacement of said relievingmember along said shaft, and means limiting movement of said relievingmember away from said spring. 7

9. An engine-starter, comprising in combination, a gear connected 'to'an engine, a motor, an inertia-controlled driving pinion connectedthereto, normally to one slde of said gear, a toothed relievingmemb'er'rotatable with said motor and to the other side of said gear,said pinion and relieving members being so arranged that when a tooth ofthe former abuts a tooth of said gear, said relieving member has itsteeth staggered with respect to those'of said gear, to permit meshing ofsaid latter members.

10. An engine-starter comprising in combination, a gear connected toanengme, a motor, an inertla-controlled pinion connected thereto, arelieving member, connected to a said motor, and normally out ofengagement with said gear, and means connecting said pinion to saidrelieving member to draw the latter into engagement with said gear uponbuttingengagementof said pinion and said I upon butting engagementbetween said pinion and said gear, for the purpose of moving saidrelieving member into engagement with said gear, to obviate said butt,and a spring for retracting said shaft to its ori inal position, andsaid pinion into partlal mesh with said gear.

12. An engine-starter, comprising in combination, a gear connected to anengine, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, a pinion threaded thereon, arelieving member mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, a springpermitting a longitudinal movement of said shaft upon butting engagementof said pinion and said gear, and a second spring yieldinglytransmitting said longitudinal movement to said relieving member.

13. An engine-starter, comprising in combination, a gear connected to anengine, a motor, a shaft driven' thereby, a pinion threaded thereon, andnormally to one side of said gear, a toothed relieving member mountedupon said shaft for rotation therewith, and normally to the other sideof said gear, and a coil spring permitting longitudinal movement of saidshaft upon butting engagement of said pinion and said gear, therebydrawing said relieving member into mesh with said gear, as and for thepurpose described.

14. An engine-starter, comprising in combination, a gear connected to.an engine, a

motor, an extended shaft therefor, a pinionof said gear, a toothedrelieving member mounted upon said shaft for rotatiorn-therewith, andnormally to the other, side said gear, a coil sprin permittinglongitudinal movement of sai shaft upon butting engagement ofsaid'pinion and said gear, and a leaf spring for yieldingly transmittingthe longitudinal movement of said shaft to said, relieving member,

as and for the purpose described.

In'testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this27th day of May, 1919.

LIONEL M. WOOLSON.

